Lott, McCain & Snowe Breaking Ranks

[rucky]

They've all come out against the Medicare Bill. Lott?!

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/breaking_news/7294400.htm

Lott's spokesman, Lee Youngblood, said Lott supports prescription drug benefits for seniors but doesn't think the current proposal does enough to help low-income seniors.

"Sen. Lott has been very insistent in the past that the seniors need some help with their prescription drug cost, but we have to address it in the right way," Youngblood said. "In his view, at this point, this is not the bill to do it."


Is this enough to kill bill?

[joanski01]

1. These Senators must be

getting bombarded by their constituents.

[blm]

4. Actually, Lott has always been against deregulation of energy.

That's why the White House made sure to push him out as Senate Majority leader. He had been standing in their way.

I tried to warn you folks last year that it wasn't us that pushed Lott out. - it was Rove at the White House and BushInc.'s pursuit of energy deregulation.

[NewJerseyDem]

5. This is the medicare bill

It doesn't have to do with energy.

[blm]

11. oops...wrong thread....

the other thread was about the energy bill. But, in any case, I think Lott's orchestrated ouster by Rove regarding deregulating energy has left him more than bitter enough to help out every now and then on other bills.

Howzdat for a save? ;)

[TacticalPeek]

8. Got that right.

Lott has some appreciation of the historical independence of the Senate. Frist asks 'Where do I kiss?'.

[CBHagman]

16. Have you read Daschle's book?

I haven't yet finished "Like No Other Time," but if I recall correctly, he sees Lott as an old-fashioned Republican in the sense that he's able to collaborate and socialize with members of the opposition. He's not of the DeLay or Gingrich mold, which would require a take-no-prisoners attitude.

Lott could be very critical of President Clinton, but I understand that Clinton viewed Lott as someone with whom he could work. Now the GOP has installed Frist. Different strategy.

[Hippo_Tron]

20. Umm more like no strategy...

Frist = memeber of the Chimpy administration. There's not much negotiating with the chimpy administration, just lots of sitting there and sulking when the democrats don't let them have their way.

[blm]

24. I hadn't read that.

But, once I realized that Lott was standing in the way of Cheney's energy deregulation, I knew that Rove was the one orchestrating Lott's push out of Sen. leadership. They sure FOOLED the liberal press into thinking they did it. Just like they're pulling our primary chains now.

[Hippo_Tron]

21. Doesn't Lott also happen to be up for re-election next year?

Guess he needs to appeal to seniors, ahh well good ol' election system.

[Changenow]

29. You are right.

If they had wanted him to stay that is exactly where he'd be. Ask Wolfowitz the details of how that works.

[mndemocrat_29]

2. It all depends on a handful of senators

If moderate Democrats like Ben Nelson, Max Baucus, or John Breaux vote for it, it will probably pass. However, if they vote against it, those three will help a lot. Also, does anyone know how Sens. Chafee and Collins are voting?

[La_Serpiente]

3. Collins has come out firmly against it

However, I don't know about Chafee. But he is more liberal than the other two anyway.

[Changenow]

31. But ,sadly, he has no spine.nt

[rucky]

6. Bummer Add Baucus & Breaux + 8 Pink Tutus to the "Yes" list

Baucus sez at least 10 Dem Senators will break ranks. the bill will pass w/ no filibuster.

[juajen]

12. Which Senators do they think will break ranks besides Breaux

and Bacchus? Please tell me Mary Landrieu is not on that list. I need to call both of them. Not hopeful on Breaux though.

[NewJerseyDem]

13. Landrieu and Breaux have both endorsed

There isn't much reason to call either of them anymore. They have both publicly come out supporting the bill, but I guess it can't hurt.

http://landrieu.senate.gov/~landrieu/releases/03/2003B18808.html

Landrieu Supports Medicare Compromise

Washington, DC - Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA) today added her support to a tentative Medicare plan approved by Louisiana colleague Sen. John Breaux.

"Senator Breaux has been tireless in his efforts to keep this compromise on track and moving in a positive direction that benefits our nation's seniors. The agreement reached over the weekend will help put prescription drugs in the hands of seniors who need them," Landrieu said. "Everyone had to give a little for this package to work, and the result is a solid foundation that can be improved and built upon in years to come.

"The compromise bill includes much needed assistance for Louisianians, providing every one of Louisiana's 600,000 Medicare beneficiaries with access to a low cost, prescription drug benefit and catastrophic care," Landrieu said. "The cost sharing and premium assistance in the bill mean that over 200,000 of Louisiana's low income seniors will receive prescriptions at little or no cost. The compromise also includes the largest, most comprehensive rural health care package ever considered by Congress."

[Athletic Grrl]

27. Mary is with them.

:-(

[T Bone]

26. There is lots of PORK for pet projects/ in this medicare bill to bribe

just enough Democrats I suppose.

All health related -- like bailing out some charity hospitals from a bunch of red ink they have incurred providing 'free' service to indigents, but if you sift through the house and senate versions you will find it here and there. Don't ask me how I know. Heard it on local NPR for a hospital here. They are using it to have some key Dems over a barrel. Watch the dems who vote for it, there is $$ in it for their districts/states.

It IS like making sausage, sadly.

[NewJerseyDem]

32. 7 republicans signed Snowe's letter

Allard? That really surprises me, but maybe we could get him to vote no. So, it looks like Collins, Specter, Allard, Campbell and Chafee are the other republicans with concerns. I guess that Lott and other conservatives could also vote no because they don't really like any prescription drug plan or they wanted to completely destroy medicare in the process and this is only partial.

MEDICARE PREMIUM SUPPORT OBJECTION LETTER GETS 44 MEMBER SIGNATURES

The letter was circulated among Senators on Thursday and Friday. The Republican signers include Senators Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), John McCain (R-AZ), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Wayne Allard (R-CO), Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO), and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI).

[GinaMaria]

7. I've been watching the AARP discussion boards

today, and boy are they hoppin' mad. AARP is hanging up on some of them when they call. If you haven't already written to your senators, please do

www.retiredamericans.org has an activism section that you enter your zip and other info and the letter is emailed to your senators.

[NewJerseyDem]

9. Hopefully more will follow

There could be other conservative senators that don't like the bill. It isn't like republicans have historically been thrilled about any prescription drugs coverage. I'm wondering whether conservatives might oppose it.

Several other republicans opposed the senate version back in June.

Allard (R-CO)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Ensign (R-NV)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Nickles (R-OK)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sununu (R-NH)


Inhofe (R-OK)-- He didn't vote on it so I'm not sure what his position was.

I also think that Collins and Chafee are swing votes even though Chafee seems to agree with republicans on most medicare issues. Lisa Murkowski I saw expressed som doubt in one article but I doubt that she will vote no.

Are biggest problem is that up to 10 or so democrats might support it and then a filibuster is our only option.

http://www.thehill.com/news/111903/bills.aspx

“I’ve got a lot of questions,” said Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.). “Everybody does.”

Conservative Sens. Don Nickles (R-Okla.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.) were also considering whether to oppose the hndiwork of the conferees.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said the conference report failed to include a crucial provision to boost the pay of Alaska doctors, who are in short supply. “If you don’t have a doctor to prescribe them, it doesn’t make a difference if you have” drug coverage.

[Snellius]

10. Kent Conrad is another ethanol junkie

Senator Conrad is one of my favorite senators. A great spokesman against the Bush tax cuts. Voted against the Iraq war. But when it comes to agri-welfare for corn growers, who already got a huge handout in the agriculture bill, he sells out. Like Dorgan and Daschle, he's especially disappointing because he knows better. Who says the federal government owes corn farmers a living?

[Hippo_Tron]

14. Okay so he's still a racist sack of shit but, hell yeah... Go Lott!!!

Unfrotunately I dunno with Breaux, Baucus, and probably Zell supporting it this will be enough to kill bill. At least it will make Bill have a heart attack, maybe he can perform surgery on himself.

[NewJerseyDem]

17. Add Landrieu to that

She is supporting the bill. We need more republicans to break ranks to defeat on a normal vote. Otherwise, the filibuster is the only option left. I really think that it will be bad if we end up filibustering the judicial nominees, the energy bill, prescription drugs, and the appropriations omnibus. All are possible. We are going to have to let some of them through. Maybe we should pick one and fight for that but filibustering all of them could backfire.

[shirlden]

18. I lived in La.

for a number of years and still have many friends there. Going to e-mail and ask that they all start calling Landrieu and Breaux to not vote for this bill.
Anymore DUERS who have family, friends there, please do the same.


:bounce:

[Hippo_Tron]

22. Breaux's too rapped up in the negotiations, backing out would ruin...

Credability. Although if he does intend to retire in a year, that doesn't matter much anyway. I might try calling Landrieu later.

[NewJerseyDem]

33. I doubt any calls will matter

Once a senator issues a press release saying how they are going to vote it is hard to get them to change their mind. I think that Louisiana's senators have made up their mind and the Democrats need to look at keeping other moderates in line.

[Hippo_Tron]

19. As I said below, don't fillibuster re-negotiate...

Democrats should withdraw all of their support and you have 51 against it (I'm not counting on Zell's support). That way we can re-negotiate this bill to make it half-way decent. The GOP can't defeat our version of the bill if it's the only option (because of the AARP support, etc). Of course this isn't the way washington works and the dems would come out looking like scum, oh well.

[Hippo_Tron]

23. Fillibuster is probably not an option anyway...

Just because Lott, Snowe, and McCain are against the bill doesn't mean that they won't vote for cloture.

[NewJerseyDem]

34. McCain will join any filibuster

I don't know about Snowe and Lott, but I kind of think that those are the type of senator that would filibuster. Also, this article indicates that John Sununu might vote against the bill. At the same time it does say that a filibuster is likely to fail. So, it seems to early to tell.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031118-103527-6838r.htm

Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, will oppose the bill and support a filibuster if it comes to that, a spokeswoman said.

[Hippo_Tron]

15. And I've changed my position about Breaux and Baucus...

I'm assuming Zell will be voting for this no matter what so that's 49 for the bill and 51 against it. Breaux, Baucus, and those other dems need to withdraw support for the bill and re-negotiate. It's not their fault that they didn't know enough GOP senators would break ranks giving them a majority against the bill. I'm not liking the way this is turning out.

[kentuck]

25. I get the feeling Lott doesn't like the way the Repubs screwed him...

and put Frist in his place. He used to be a Democrat, I believe?

[Maddy McCall]

30. Nothing that deep...he is actually for once looking out for his state...

You know, the people who elected him. This state has a lot of poor elderly people, anhe will do d he knows those make up his base, and nothing to hurt them lest he lose support at home.

Same with the energy bill.

Can someone tell me how Cochran, the other Mississippi senator, plans to vote?

[dusty64]

Kick.

:kick:

[dusty64]

28. Kick.

:kick:

[leesa]

35. The only way to end this nonsense is to ensure that they have

exactly the same retirement and health benefits as a low-middle income earner. Their golden parachutes will never make them aware of people's situation. They are supposed to be public SERVANTS for God's sake!